WINCHESTER, Ky. — Atalo Holdings, a Kentucky-based, vertically integrated hemp research, production and processing company, has opened a second facility that has been reviewed by Validus Verification Services and certified under the U.S. Hemp Authority Certification Program.
According to Kyle Raney, director of operations and quality at Atalo, “In order to meet current and forecasted market demand, Atalo has expanded its extraction, formulation, packaging and laboratory capabilities with the addition of a second location, a 50,000-s.f. facility, located in Winchester, Kentucky. As the hemp-derived CBD market matures, certification such as this assures consumers that quality and safety are core values of Atalo. This ensures the confidence of our customers as we expand our capacity.”
The U.S. Hemp Authority Certified Seal program was developed in 2018 by veterans of agricultural self-regulation with no financial interests in the hemp industry and includes an intricate certification process, administered by a third party independent audit and certification partner.
Marielle Kahn Weintraub, president of the U.S. Hemp Authority, described the rigorous certification process. “The U.S. Hemp Authority Certification Program is administered by experienced quality assurance and verification professionals from industry-leading food and agricultural companies and is modeled after existing federal regulations for manufacturing in the dietary supplement industry. The certification and use of the Seal is only available to companies who have been audited and qualified by Validus, a division of Where Food Comes From, Inc., the nation’s premier provider of certification and verification services to the food industry,” she said.
According to Weintraub, the program offers an industry-led model for any future regulations to ensure safety and quality, taking into account the Food and Drug Administration’s Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP).
Atalo is one of the largest permitted hemp growers and processors in the U.S. with an experienced Growers’ Group operating in six states. CEO William Hilliard emphasizes the need for quality and consistency.
“The CBD market is experiencing explosive growth and companies are rushing to market to take advantage of the opportunity,” says Hilliard. “In this unregulated environment, many companies, either knowingly or unknowingly, are bypassing traditional measures intended to protect and safeguard the consuming public. The work of the U.S. Hemp Authority will help consumers make informed and conscious decisions about CBD and hemp-derived products, regarding their quality and safety from seed to sale. Given our expansion in hemp-derived CBD and superfood, this certification adds a symbol of third party diligence upon which the consuming public may rely.”
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